Vending-machine



E. B. ADAMS- VENDING MACHINE APPLICATION FILED 001310. 1918.

wm m m M Mm u E a m 9 P 2 E. B. ADAMS.

VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT-10, I9I8.

Patented Apr. 5, 1921.

5 SHEETSSHEET 2.

IIIHIIIHIIIIII mum E B. ADAMS.

VENDING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED act. 10', 1918.

Patentd Apr. 5, 1921.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

E. B. ADAMS.

VENDING MACHINE."

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 10, I918.

Patented Apr. 5, 1921.

E. B. ADAMS.

vgwoma MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED OCT- l0| 19H;-

WW I A m T Q m m m & MM Wm m M 5mm P m E M H 9 Q\N. m 1 1 1 m P EUGENE BABER ADAMS, OF IRONTON, OHIO.

VENDING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 5, 1921.

Application filed October 10, 1918. Serial No. 25?,625.

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, EUGENE BABER ADAMS, a cltlzen of the United States, re-

, siding at Ironton, in the county of Lawrence and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vending- Machines, of which the following is a speciiication.

This invention relates to an improved machine for vending stamps, tickets, coupons, or the like, but is more particularly designed for use as a stamp vending machine and has as its primary object to provide a device of this character wherein a given number of stamps will be delivered when a proper coin is deposited in the machine and its dispensing mechanism re leased.

The invention has as a further object to provide a machine adapted to dispense a strip of stamps from a suitable stamp roll and wherein, when the dispensing mechanism is released, a certain predetermined length of the strip and accordingly a predetermined number of stamps, will be delivered from the machine when the stamps so delivered may be torn off from the remainder of the strip.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a vending machine having a check controlled actuating mechanism for the dispensing mechanism and of such character that coins of the proper denomination only may be deposited in the machine.

The invention has as a further obj ect to provide a construction wherein when the check controlled actuating mechanism is released after the deposit of a coin, the'coin will be automatically freed from the said mechanism to the end that only the proper number of stamps will be clelivercd by the dispensing mechanism for each coin deposited.

And the invention has as a still further object to provide a vending machine which will be characterized. by simplicity of construction, which will not be liable to get out of order, and which will be entirely de pendable in its operation.

Other and incidental objects will appear during the course of the detailed description of the invention. In the drawings, wherein I have illustrated the preferred embodiment of the invention, and wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views:

F igure 1 is a perspective view of my improved vending machine, Flg. 2 is a detail perspective view showing one side wall and the door of the casing of the device detached,

F 1g. 3 is a side elevation, one side wall of the casing being removed,

Fig. 4 is a top plan view, the casing being shown in section,

Fig. 5 is a side elevation, the opposite side wall of the casing being removed.

Fig. 6 is a rear elevation, the casing bemg shown in section, a

Fig. 7 is a detail perspective view showing the escapement wheel and latch of the check controlled actuating mechanism of the device,

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary elevation on an enlarged scale, showing the manner in which the latch is released, this view illustrating the discharge end of the coin chute in section, i

Fig. 9 is a detail perspective view of the discharge end of the coin chute,

Fig. 10 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale, showing the feed rollers in detail,

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary front elevation of the feed rollers, parts being broken away,

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary sectional view on an enlarged scale, showing the gripping and indenting bars of the feed rollers,

F lg. 13 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the upper feed roller removed, and

Fig. 1 1 is a detail sectional view showing the spool for the stamp roll.

In carrying the invention into effect I employ an oblong base 10 upon the upper face of which is screwed or otherwise secured a bed plate 11 resting flat against the base. Fitting around said bed plate and resting upon the base is an upstanding casat the corners thereof, are angle plates and connecting the front and back walls at their lower corners with these angle plates are screws or other suitable fastening devices 16. Closing one side of the casing is a side wall 17 provided at its front, rear and top edges with a flange 18 fitting snugly within the top, front and back walls of the casing and cutaway at its lower ends, as shown in Fig. 3; to receive the adjacent angle plates 15. Secured to the inner face of said. flange is a plurality of lugs Aland loosely fitted through the walls 12, 13 and 14 of the casing and threaded into these lugs are screws or other suitable fastening devices 20 detachably securing the side wall in position. Mounted within the upper portion of the casing a its opposite side is a side wall 21 with which coacts a door 22 closing the adj acent side of the casing. The side wall 21 is provided at its front, rear and top edges with a flange 23 snugly ting within the front, back and top walls of the casing-g and secured to the inner face of said flange is plurality of lugs 24 into which are threaded screws or other suitable fastening devices 25 extending freely through the walls 12, 13 and 14 for detachably securing said side wall in position, At its lower edge'th'is side wall 18 provided upon its inner face with reinforcing strip 26 and mounted upon said stripsubstantially midway of. its ends is azblack 27.

The door 22 is formed at its end edges with flanges 28 snugly fitting between the front and back walls of the casing and, at its lower edge, is equippedupon the inner side thereof with spaced brackets 29 which are presented downwardly and normally engage within suitable openings 30 in the bed plate 11. Supporting the door at its upper extremity are stop lugs 31 secured to the inner faces of the front and back wall of the casing and engaged by the door at its upper corners. At, its upper edilea suitable lock 32 is secured to the inner face of. the door and the bolt 33'of this loch as particularly shown in Fig. 6, projectable to en age behind the block 27 up ithe side wall 21. The lock will thus "ser re, to roniovably' sec re the door in position, the door in effect providing onesection of the adjacent side wall of the casing, the other section of which side wall is formed by the hired por tion thereof. I r

Mounted upon the bed plate and housed within the casing are spaced "vertical supporting members or frame plates as and These plates are secured to'the bed plate 11 trolled by the governor 51.

and 5 of the 7 jacent curved surface of the casing. The check controlled actuating mechanism of the present invention is mounted upon these supporting plates as well as the dispensing mechanism. I shall first describe the actuating..mechanism in detail and will then proceed to a detail description of the dispensing mechanism.

Journaled through the supporting plates 8 L and 35 adjacent the lower rear corners thereof is a transverselyarranged main drive shaft 39 to which is connected at one end a power spring lO located between theplates. The opposite end of this spring is secured to the adjacent one of the tie bolts 37 (see 38 Fig. 6) located at the lower rear corners of the supporting plates so that this spring will thus tend to rotate the shaft in a counter-clockwise direction. At one end, the shaft is extended beyond the plate 3% :toward the door 22 and is formed with a squared terminal ll, for receiving a winding key. Fixed to the opposite end of said shaft at the outerside of the plate 35 .is a drive gear 42. llournaled through the plates ELlOOVGtlle shaft 39 is a countershaft 43 and fixed to one end of this shaft'to mesh with the gear l2 is a pinion 44:. Secured upon the shaft 43 at the inner sir e of this pinion andconfronting the plate isa gear wheel 45 and journaled through the plates above this wheel is a shaft to one end of which is secured a pinion l7 meshing with the gear wheel Fixed upon the shaft ll) at the inner side of the plate is a gear wheel 48 and journaled through the plates above this ge'ar wheel is a governor shaft 49. The governor shaft carries a pin ion .50 meshing wit the gearwheel d8, and suitable governor 51 located between the supporting plates. As will. be clear rotary movement of the shaft 39 will be communicated to the governor shaft 4:9 to he eonizred to the shaft at theouter side of the plate a; is an escapenient wheel provided with a series of spaced radial teeth or lugs 53. As 1 erticularly shown in 7 of the (l1'2'-."l11 S, the outer edges of these lugs are formed with cam faces 54- and the rear edge of each lug is cut away to form the straight radial face or shoulder of the next successive lug. Threaded into the plate 34 at the rear of 1c escapenient wheel and in a plane somewhat above the axis of said wheel, is a stub shaft- 56 upon which is journaled at a point intermediate of its ends a pivoted latch or detent 57 spaced from the plate by a boss upon the latch. At its forward end the latch projects over the escapement wheel 52 is provided with a laterally and downwardly directed latch pawl 59 adapted to cooperate with the lugs E3 of said wieel. lift its rear end, the latch is provided with an upwardly Hit) a laterally projecting pin 61 extending inwardly with respect to the latch and having journaled thereon a roller 62. Fitted over the boss 58 of the latch is a helical spring 63,

- one end of which is inserted through a suitable opening in the plate 3 The opposite end of this spring is extended toengage beneath the roller 62 so that the spring will thus act to constantly hold the latch pawl 59 in engagement with the escapement wheel to cooperate therewith. l ixed to the outer Side of the plate 34 above the escapement wheel 52and latch'57, is a rearwardly and downwardly inclined coin chute Gelsupported by spaced brackets 65 embracing the chute and secured at their upper ends by screws or other suitable fastening devices to the plate. At its outer end the chute is arranged to register with a coin 6 in the casing and formed on the side edges of the chute for receiving a coin inserted through this slot are inwardly dirccted iianges 67 which extend throughout the major portion of the length of the chute. These flanges are spaced from the body wall of the chute and are arranged such distance apart that coins or: the proper denomination only may be inserted in the chute. At its inner end, the chute is formed with a longitudinally extending offset portion 68 projecting over the roller 62 of the latch and formed in its lower edge with a notch 69 normally receiving said roller. Formed on the inner end of the offset portion at its lower edge is substantially arcuate' lateral flange 70 forming a coin pocket 71 at the junction of said oilset portion with the main body of the chute. This pocket opens, as particularly shown in Figs. 3. 8 and 9 of the drawings, toward the notch 69 and is normally obstructed at its outer side by the roller 62 oi the latch. At'its inner end the upper flange 67 of the chute is provided with a downwardly curved portion 72 for directing a coin into the pocket 71 and formed on the upper edge of the offset portion 68 of the chute is an overhanging stop flange 7 3. This step flange is arranged at an angle to the length of the offset portion, being incline-d downwardly from its inner end toward its outer end to provide an outwardly tapering throat 7 3 between the flange and the roller 62. The major width of this throat between the inner end portion of the flange 7 3 and the outer end of the flange 70 is such that a coin of the proper denomination only can pass therethrough. Mounted at the outer side of the plate 34 below the coin chute 64 is a downwardly and rearwardly inclined plunger 74. Adjacent its outer extremity the plunger is slidably supported by spaced guides 7 5 and 7 6, which embrace the plunger and are secured at their ends to the plate by screws or other suitable fastening devices.

Adjacent its inner end the plunger is slidpreceding' description, a

ably supported by a guide bracket 77 suitably secured to the outer face of the plate and is held against possible upward canting at its inner end by a guide pin 78 projecting laterally from the plate to overhang the plunger between the guide 76 and bracket 77. At its outer end the plunger projects freely through a suitable opening in the front wall of the casing at a point just below the coin slot 66 and is equipped with a head or button 79. At its inner end, the plunger is, as particularly shown in Fig. 8, provided with a curved edge to fit the periphery of a coin and is adapted to be slidably received through a suitable opening 80 formed through the upper end of the flange 70 of the coin pocket 71. Threaded into the plunger between the guides and 76 is a screw 81 and connected at one end to this screw is a helical spring 82, the opposite end of which is connected to a screw 83 threaded into the guide 75. As will be clear, the plunger may be readily depressed against the action of this spring to project the inner end of the plunger through the opening in the flange 70 of the coin pocket 71, the screw 81 being adapted to abut the guide 76 for limiting the plunger in its inward movement. Upon the release of the plunger the spring will immediately act to retract the plunger to it normal position havingthe inner end thereof withdrawn through said opening of the coin pocket flange and disposed at the periphery of the pocket.

Threaded into the plunger below the guide guide for limiting thelplunger. in its outward movement. 7

As will now be understood in view of. the coin inserted through the slot 66 say, for instance, a dime, will travel down the chute 64- to engage the curved portion 7 2 of the upper flange of the chute when the said coin will be directedby the curved portion of said flange to drop into the coin pocket 71. Thecoin will then encounter the roller 62 of the latch 57 as well as the flange 7 3 the inner endof the throat 7-3 to be arrested in its movement and confined within the coin pocket supported by the flange 7 0. Depression of the plunger 7 4 will then project the inner end of the plunger into the coinpocket and force the coin into the reduced throat 73 when the coin will bear between the flange 73 and the roller 52 of the latch for depress ng the outer end of the-latch and swinging the inner end of the throat 73' between the flange 73 and the roller. However, as soon as the latch pawl is moved out of engagement with the shoulder of the lug, the tension of the spring l0 on the shaft 43, tending to rotate this shaft, will immediately turn the escapement wheel 52 when the latch pawl 59 will ride over the cam face of the lug so that the inner end of the latch will be lifted by said cam face and the outer end of the latch accordingly swung downwardly to free the coin from within the reduced throat 73 and cause the said coin to fallwithin the rear portion of the casing. arrangement whereby should the plunger 7 1 be moved slowly inward in an attempt to permanently wedge the coin within the re duced throat 73' between the flange 7 3 and the roller 62'0f the latch, so that the latch would be permanently held out of engagement with the escapement wheel, the escapement wheel will, nevertheless, when released, act upon the latch to automatically free the coin and release the latch. When so released, the spring 63 will, as previously described, hold the latch pawl bearing against the cam face 5 1 of the escapement wheel lug to ride around the escapement wheel and engage the shoulder 55 of the next successive lug of said wheel when the escapement wheel will be arrested in its turning movement by the latch.

This operation will, of course, be repeated each time a coin is deposited in the machine and the plunger operated to release the latch, the latch being adapted to cooperate, in the manner just'described, with each successive lug of the escapement wheel'so that the said wheel will'be permitted to turn a predetermined distance only each time it is released. This feature is of lmportanceslnce, as shall presently appear, the number of stamps delivered by the dispensing mechanism for each coin deposited is governed by the stepped movement of the escapement wheel.

- The dispensing mechanism of the present invention will now be taken up. Journaled through the plates 3 and 35 in advance of the driven shaft 43 is a transverse shaft 85 side of the plate 35, a gear'wheel 86 meshing with the gear wheel 4E5 upon the driven shaft. Fixed. to the shaft Cat the inner side of the plate 35 is agear wheel 87 and journaled through the plates in advance of said shaft is a transverse feed roller shaft 88. Formed in the periphery of this shaft at the inner side of the plate 35 are gear teeth 89 meshing with the gear wheel 87 upon the shaft 85 so that, as will be clear, rotary movement. of the driven shaft 43 will be imparted to the feed roller shaft 88. Fixed to the adjacent extremity of the shaft 88 at the outer side of the plate 3 1 is a feed roller 90 to the inner end of which is screwed or otherwise secured a gear Wheel 91 and interposed This construction provic es an between this gear wheel and said plate is a washer 92 surrounding the shaft. Mounted upon the outer side of the plate immediately in advance of the escapement wheel 52' is a laterally projecting bracket98 provided at one end, as particularly shown in Fig. 10 of the drawings witha laterally directed terminal 94: which may be secured by screws or other suitable fastening devices to the plate. The opposite end of the bracket is formed with an upstanding arm 95 and journaled between this arm and the plate 34 is atransverse yoke shaft 96. Mounted at their inner ends upon the opposite end portions of this shaft are spaced parallel yoke arms 97 and mounted upon the outer ends of said arms is a transverse feed roller shaft 98. As particularly shown in Fig. 11 of the drawroller 90. At its outer end the roller 99 is provided with a radial guide flange 100 over- 90 lappingthe outer end of the roller 90 and screwed or otherwise secured upon the inner end of the former feed roller is a gear wheel 101 meshing with the gear wheel 91 upon the latter feed roller. The feed roller 99 is thus adaptedto provide an idler roller which will be driven from the feed roller 90. Wound at its end portions around the shaft 96 is a spring 102 the ends of which are engaged over theyoke arm 97 while the intermediate portion of said spring is extended from the shaft and engaged against the rear edge of the bracket 93. r This spring will thus act to yieldably hold the roller 99 in frictional engagement with the roller 90 while, when desired; the roller 99 may be readily swung upwardly to permit a stamp strip to be threaded between the rollers. Formed in the periphery of the roller 90 is, as shown in detail in Fig. 12 of the drawings, atransverse slot 103 at one side of which the roller is formed with a communicating deeper slot 104, both of these slots extending the full width of the roller.. Snugly fitted in the slot 10 1 is a removable gripping and indenting bar 105 provided at its upper edge with spaced gripping teeth 106. Formed in the periphery of the roller 99 to receive the teeth 106 of the bar 105 is a transverse slot 107 and at one side of this slot this roller is provided with a communicating deeper slot 108. The slots 107 and 108 extend the full width of the roller and snugly fitted in the slot 108 is a removable indenting and gripping bar 109 provided at its outer edge with spaced 25 gripping teeth 110 projecting from the periphery of the roller and adapted to be received within the slot 103 of the roller 90. The teeth of the bar 105 are preferably stag gered with respect to the teeth of the bar 109 1 0 and, at its outer end, the bar 109 is, as particularly shown in Fig. 11, provided with a lateral head 111 lying flush with the flange 100 of the roller 99. At their inner ends these bars abut the gear wheels 91 and 101 of the rollers.

Connected at one end to the bracket 93 Is an arm 112 which projects beneath the bracket toward the plate 34: and carries, at its opposite end, an upwardly inclined stamp strip guide 113 terminating at its oute end, as particularly shown in Fig. 10, between the rollers 90 and 99 at the rear thereof. Extending from between the rollers at their forward sides is a delivery guide 11 1 suitably connected to the front wall 12 of the casing and communicating with a delivery opening 115 therein. At their inner ends, the top and bottom walls of this guide are each provided with a series of trans versely spaced guide fingers 116, one series of fingers being disposed to closely confront the peripheral face of the roller 90 while the othe series of lingers is disposed to closely confront the peripheral face of the roller 99 for receiving the free end of a stamp strip projected between the rollers and directing said strip through the delivery guide. Mounted at the outer side of the plate 34 below the guide 113 is a stamp roll spool including a spool sleeve 117 at one end of which is formed an integral head 118 At its outer end the sleeve is provided with a reduced extension 119 and snugly fitted over. this extension is a removable head 120. Fitted through the sleeve is a screw bolt 121 threaded at its inner end through the plate 34 for connecting the spool with the plate and interposed between the inner head 118 of the spool and the plate is a washer 122. By removing the head 120, a stamp roll, as conventionally illustrated at 123, may be readily positioned upon the spool when the stamp strip 124 may be led from the roll and through the guide 113 to be engaged at its free end between the feed rollers 90 and 99. The device is then ready for use.

As will now be understood, when a coin is deposited in the coin chute 6 1 and the plunger 71 is actuated to release the escapement wheel 52, as previously described, the feed roller 90 will be driven, and this roller will in turn drive the feed roller 99 for feeding the stamp strip 1% between the rollers, and through the delivery guide 114 to be projected out through the delivery opening length of the stamp strip projected at each actuation of the dispensing mechanism and, in the present instance wherein the check control mechanism is designed to be actuated upon the deposit of a dime in the machine, the circumference of each of the rollers 90 and 99 is such that four two cent stamps at the free end of the strip will be advanced. between the rollers. Consequently, for each dime deposited, four two cent stamps will be delivered by the machine. The stamps thus delivered or the free outer end of the strip may then be grasped and the strip torn off at the gripping members 105 and 109 for freeing the stamps purchased. 1 In this connection, it will be noted that since each of the rollers 90 and 99 revolve only once each time the dispensing mechanism is actuated, the. gripping members 105 and 109 will be brought into contact with the stamp strip at an interval of each four stamps of the strip, when the teeth 108 and 106 of said gripping member will bear into the strip between each fourth stamp and the next adjacent stamp for firmly gripping the strip between the feed rollers. Consequently, the stamps projected between the rollers from the machine may be easily torn oil at the gripping members, while at the same time, possibility of drawing the stamp strip between the rollers and thus unwinding the whole stamp roll, will be eflectually overcome. If desired, the teeth of the gripping members may be sharp so that the said teeth will act to perforate the stamp strip but, in any instance where the strip has been previously perforated, the teeth of said members may, if preferred, be only sharp enough to indent the stamp strip, and effectually grip the strip between the feed rollers.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A vending machine including dispensing mechanism, and actuating mechanism for said dispensing mechanism, said actuating mechanism including a driven escapement Wheel, a coin chute above the escapement wheel and deflected beyond the same to form a coin pocket and having an openbottom restricted throat beyond said pocket,

the escapement wheel and its other end normally blocking the throat, and means adapted to force a coin from the coin pocket across the end of the latch in the throat whereby the latch will be released from the escapement wheel and the coin discharged through the bottom of the throat.

. 2. A vending machine including dispensing mechanism, and means for actuating said dispensing mechanism, said actuating means including a driven escapement wheel, a coin chute provided at its inner end with an offset portion forming a coin pocket, the

bottom of the coin chute being cut-away beyond the pocket, an overhanging stop flange on the upper edge of the coin chute beyond the pocket extending into the path or" a coin issuing from the pocket, a latch having one end normally restraining the .escapement wheel and its opposite end blocking egress from the coin pocket, and means for projecting a coin from the pocket against the stop flange and across the latch whereby to release the latch from the escapement wheel and discharge-the. coin.

8. A vending machine comprising a casing, a downwardly and inwardly inclined coin chute mounted in the casing and provided near its inner extremity with a downwardly projecting offset portion constituting a coin pocket, the coin chute being reduced beyond the coin pocket and provided with. an overhanging downwardly inclined flange whereby an open-bottom restricted throat is provided, a driven escapement wheel mounted below the chute and between.

tion ofthe same with the throat, yieldable means acting on the latch to hold it in normal position, and a plunger slidably mounted in the casing below the coin chute and having its inner end projectingthrough the front wall of the coin pocket to engage a coin therein and project the coin across the end of the latch and against the overhanging flange whereby the latch will be released i'rom the es'capeznent wheel and the coin discharged through the open bottom of the throat. v

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

EUGENE BABER ADAMS. i [11s.] 

